Tornadoes in Southeast kill at least 45 and wreck hundreds of buildings, President Obama plays golf

*Update 1: New reports are coming in saying at least 45 individuals were killed as a result of the tornadoes over the weekend.

**Update 2 in body of the story

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So far, tornadoes over the weekend that hit the southeastern United States have reportedly killed at least 43 people. According to Reuters:

Three days of violent storms and tornadoes across the southern United States killed at least 43 people, wrecked hundreds of buildings and downed power lines, officials said on Sunday.

North Carolina accounted for the bulk of casualties and property losses, with 22 people killed and more than 80 others injured in a string of tornadoes that ripped through the state Saturday night.

Houses were flattened, cars and trucks tossed like matchsticks and planes blown off the tarmac at a local airport. Uprooted trees, poles and debris snapped power lines, cutting electricity to more than 200,000 people in North Carolina.

Some are asking where President Obama is during this time.

While there is no statement on the 241 tornadoes that pummeled the United States for the past three days on WhiteHouse.gov as of this initial posting, North Carolina Democratic Governor Bev Purdue issued a statement on Sunday remarking that she spoke with Mr. Obama about the damage in her state:

Gov. Bev Perdue concluded a 6½-hour tour of tornado damage with a sidewalk press conference near hard-hit Shaw University in downtown Raleigh. During the tour she spoke with President Obama, who pledged “whatever it takes to rebuild North Carolina.”

“Despite all the damage, the thing we heard the most today was how grateful people are to be alive,” said Perdue. “I ask that everyone do what they can to support the Red Cross and local shelters, and to keep everyone affected in your prayers.”

However, while the North Carolina governor and others make tours of the wreckage, the president hit the links and according to **McClatchy, he has no plans to visit the ravaged areas.

At around 7pm on Sunday, Mark Knoller of CBS News tweeted out that he and the rest of the White House press corp just spent fours hours with the president on the golf course at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility. Keith Koffler of the White House Dossier writes:

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About the Author

Kerry Picket, a former Opinion Blogger/Editor of The Watercooler, was associate producer for the Media Research Center, a content producer for Robin Quivers of “The Howard Stern Show” on Sirius satellite radio and a production assistant and copy writer at MTV.